Creel stop motion



Feb. 28, 1967 J. A. F. RAYFIELD ET AL 3,305,896

CREEL STOP MOTION Filed April 27, 1964 I 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 28, 1967 J R l ET AL 3,305,896

CREEL STOP MOTION 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 27, 1964 M m y p T@ ET I I J M w M w 8 i w a 5% E M MM 1 Wm M117 2 Nb 8 Fb. 28, 1967 J, A. F. RAYFIELD ETAL 3,305,896

CREEL STOP MOTION Filed April 27, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORSI JAMEs AETHURF RAYFHELD and Joe R.WH\TEHUR$T ATTORNEYS Feb. 28, 1967 J RAYHELD ET AL 3,305,896

GREEL STOP MOTION Filed April 27, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 ni e St e Patent I 3,305,896 I CREEL STOP MOTION James Arthur F. ayfield, Stanley, and Joe R. Whitehurst, Bessemer City, N.C., assignors to Ideal Industries, Inc, Bessemer City, N.C., a corporation of North Carolina Filed Apr. 27, 1964, Ser. No. 362,797

18 Claims. (Cl. 19.25)

This invention relates generally to a stop motion that is associated with a creel of the type in which a plurality of textile strands are withdrawn from a supply source and guided along a predetermined path by the creel in their movement to a textile strand processing machine. More particularly, the present creel stop motion is provided with strand actuated detector fingers that are normally supported by the textile strands and that are operable to immediately stop the textile machine when a strand breaks, when the tension in a strand falls below a predetermined level, or when the supply source of a strand is exhausted. Although the present creel stop motion is shown associated with a drawing frame, it is to be understood that it may be used in connection with other types of textile processing machines.

One of the main objects of the present invention is to provide a stop motion of the type described wherein the detector fingers are of light-weight construction and do not adversely affect the moving strands engaged thereby.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a creel stop motion of the type described which may be economically constructed and easily applied to the creels of existing textile strand processing machines.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a creel stop motion of the type described wherein the detector elements are positioned in side-by-side relationship and they are each spaced the same distance from the rear of the textile machine so that when a strand breaks, the machine will be stopped with the trailing end of the broken strand in a convenient location for the operator to piece up the broken strand and quickly resume operation of the machine.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a creel stop motion of the type described wherein the detector fingers are supported for pivotal movement above the corresponding strands that they engage and form one element of an electrical switch mechanism and wherein the other element of the electrical switch mech anism is positioned below the strands and is engagea ble by the detector fingers to immediately stop the textile machine in response to a break, a run-out, or a predetermined reduction of tension in the strand.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a stop motion of the type described wherein a bank of side-'by-side detector fingers are spaced apart from each other and so positioned that the strands can be easily positioned beneath the detector fingers without having to thread the leading ends of the strands through holes or openings, and wherein the detector fingers have downwardly extending flanges at their free ends which straddle the corresponding strands engaged by the detector fingers.

It is a more specific object of the present invention to provide a stop motion for a creel of the type having a plurality of stationary strand lifting arms spaced rearwardly of the machine with strand guiding slots formed in the upper surfaces of the lifting arms, and wherein a common contact member is carried by the front lower edge of the last lifting arm before the strands enter the machine, the detector fingers each being engageable with the common contact member when they are not properly supported by the strands.

It is another specific object of the present invention to provide a stop motion for a creel of the type having a 3,395,896 Patented Feb. 28, 1967 plurality of rotating strand lifting rolls spaced rearwardly of the machine with annular ring portions spaced therealong for maintaining the strands in spaced side-by-side relationship and in engagement with the rotatable shaft portion, and wherein the last rotating strand lifting roll before the strands enter the machine provides a common contact member, the detector fingers being engageable with the rotating strand lifting roll when they are not properly supported by the strands.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of one form of the creel stop motion and showing the same associated with a drawing frame;

FIGURE 2 is a view taken substantially along the line 22 in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view, looking in the direction of the line 3-3 in FIGURE 2, with portions broken away for purposes of clarity;

FIGURE 4 is an end elevation looking at the left-hand end of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a vertical sectional view through one of the detector fingers, being taken substantially along line 5-5 in FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 6 is a wiring diagram schematically illustrating the manner in which the present stop motion effects stopping of the machine when one of the detector fingers is not properly supported by the strand;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary elevational view of a second form of stop motion and showing the manner in which the detector fingers are pivotally supported above the last rotating strand lifting roll of a power creel;

FIGURE 8 is an end elevation looking inwardly at the left-hand end of FIGURE 7; and

FIGURE 9 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 99 in FIGURE 7.

As shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, the stop motion is associated with the creel of a drawing frame, however, it is to be understood that it may also be used with the creels of other types of textile processing machines. In the present instance, the drawing frame includes end frame members 10 and 11 (FIGURE 1) which are bridged adjacent their upper ends by a main frame channel member 13 and a main platform or spectacle plate 14 (FIGURE 2) that is suitably secured to the lower surface of the channel member 13. The drawing frame includes two identical and conventional sections of drafting instrumentalities that each include sets of upper or top drafting rolls 15 and sets of lower or bottom drafting rolls 16 (FIGURE 2). As is well-known, the successive sets of drafting rolls 15, 16 are driven at progressively increasing speeds for attenuating and drafting the fibers of the two groups of strands as they are passed therebetween.

The sets of drafting rolls I5, 16 are journaled in suitable bearing blocks 20 which are carried on the upper portions of roll stands 22 that are in turn spaced along and suitably secured to the channel member 13. The forward portions of the roll stands 22 hingedly support a cover plate 25 which is normally positioned over the calender rolls and tube gears, not shown, and turntables 26 (FIGURE 1). The turntables 26 are driven in a conventional manner by means of suitable gearing supported in a gear housing 27. The gears in the gear housing 27 also impart timed rotation to the sets of drafting rolls 15, 16. As the drafted slivers or strands leave the front set of drafting rolls 15, 16 of each section, they are guided through tube guides 28, trumpets 29, and then they pass into the coiler cans, not shown,

which are supported beneath the turntables 26 for rotation in a conventional manner.

One end of a main drive shaft 33 (FIGURE 1) extends into the gear housing 27 and its other end has a pulley 34 suitably connected thereto. The pulley 34 is engaged by a.drive belt 35 which is drivingly engaged by a motor drive pulley 36. The motor drive pulley 36 is connected to one side of a suitable electromagnetic type clutch broadly indicated at 40. The electromagnetic clutch 46 may be one of several different types that are commercially available, such as one manufactured by Stearns Electric Corporation, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, under their No. 5.5 SMR, and as illustrated in their drawing No. (13105-1, dated May 17, 1961. The other side of the electromagnetic clutch 46 is connected to the drive shaft of an electric motor 41 so that driving rotation of the drafting rolls 15, 16 and other mechanisms of the machine may be electrically controlled by means of the creel stop motion, to be presently described.

As the textile strands are drawn toward the drafting rolls 15, 16 in side-by-side spaced relationship, by means to be presently described, they pass above a shield plate or apron 42 which is suitably supported at its forward edge on the rear portions of the roll stands 22 (FIG- URE 2). The creel includes a main horizontal support rod 45, the forward end of which is supporttd in spaced relationship on the apron 42 by the upper end of a standard 46, the lower end of which is suitably secured to the upper surface of the apron 4-2.

A plurality of branch support rods 47 are suitably connected at their inner ends to the main support rod 45 (FIGURES 1 and 2) and spaced apart rearwardly of the drawing frame. Although only two pairs of branch support rods 47 are shown in FIGURE 1, it is to be understood that there are usually eight pairs provided in the creel. Each of the branch support rods 47 carries a stationary strand lifter and guide member or arm, broadly indicated at 51 that is provided with a plurality of spaced apart strand guiding slots 51 therein which are defined by upstanding flanges or ridges 51a.

It is the usual practice to provide one or more strand supply cans 53 (FIGURE 1) beneath each of the strand lifter guides 50 of the creel and the strands are withdrawn upwardly from the supply cans 53 and then guided forwardly toward the drawing frame in the guide slots 51 to maintain the strands in spaced apart, sideby-side relationship. As shown in FIGURE 1, there are eight textile strands, indicated at 8-1 through S8, moving forwardly into each section of drafting rolls.

The conventional drawing frame of the type shown in the drawings is usually provided with a plurality of knock-off levers that are supported for pivotal move ment in a medial portion of the apron 42. The upper ends of the knock-off levers have spoon-shaped guides which engage each strand as it approaches the rearmost drafting rolls 15, 16. The spoon-shaped guides are normally urged into engagement with the strands and when one of the strands becomes broken or is exhausted, the lower end of the corresponding knock-off lever drops down to operate either a mechanical or electrical mechanism to stop the driving rotation of the drafting rolls.

The creel stop motion of the present invention is intended to replace these conventional knock-off levers and their associated spoon-shaped guides, as well as the operating mechanism associated therewith. However, it is to be understood that the present creel stop motion may also be used in conjunction with the conventional knock-off levers, if desired. The parts heretofore described are conventional parts of a drawing frame having one type of conventional creel positioned therebehind and the form of stop motion shown in FIGURES 1-6 will now be described in association therewith.

The present stop'mction is supported on the last pair of strand lifter arms 50 which are engaged by the strands before they enter the drawing frame. The pairs of strand lifter arms and associated stop motions are identical, except that they are opposite hand. Therefore, only one stop motion is shown and described in detail and corresponding parts of the other stop motion will bear like reference characters.

The lifter and guide arm 50 has an arcuate groove along its lower surface which fits down over the rod 47 (FIGURES 4 and 5). The lifter arm 51 may be adjusted to the desired radial position on the rod 47 and then held in the adjusted position by set screws (FIGURES 3 and 5) which are threaded into the lifter arm 50 and their inner ends engage the front of the rod 47. For convenience of explanation, the strands passing through the strand guide slots 51 of the lifter arm 50 are indicated at S1 through S-3, however, it is to be understood that the lifter arm could be made longer to accommodate a greater number of strands passing into each drafting section or they could also be made shorter to accommodate a lesser number of strands.

Identical detector fingers, broadly indicated at B4 through D-S, are supported on the lifter arm 51) for engagement with the corresponding strands 8-1 through 8-8. The detector fingers are all supported on the lifter arm 50 in the same manner, and therefore, only the detector finger 13-11 will be described in detail with like reference characters being applied to corresponding parts of the other detector fingers. As best shown in FIGURES 3 and 4, the free end of detector finger D1 is provided with downwardly extending sliver or strand guiding side flanges 56 and 57 which straddle the strand S1 and the medial portion of the lower free end of the detector finger D1 rides on and is supported by the upper surface of the strand 8-1.

As shown in FIGURE 4, the free end of the detector finger D1 engages the strand S-1 immediately after it leaves the guide slot 51 in the lifter arm 51). The upper medial portion of the detector finger D-1 is cut longitudinally (FIGURE 3) and the two outer portions are bent to form two upstanding semi-circular portions while the medial portion is bent to form a single downwardly extending semi-circular portion. The semi-circular portions form a pivot for the finger D-l as they pass around opposite sides of a pivot pin 58. The pivot pin 58 is preferably in the form of a shoulder screw having an enlarged head on one end and a reduced threaded portion on the other end that is screwed into the upper end of an angle bracket 59. The lower end of the bracket 59 is suitably secured to the upper surface of the ridge 51a of the lifter arm 50 (FIGURE 4). A spacer 60 (FIGURE 3) is positioned on the pivot pin 58 to maintain the detector finger D-1 in the proper position in alinement with the strand 8-1.

The upper end portion of the detector finger D1 extends beyond the pivot pin 58 to form a finger raising tab 61. The tab 61 may be pushed down by the finger of the operator to raise up the free end of the detector finger D-I as shown in dotted lines in FIGURE 4. While there is sufficient space between the free end of the pivot pin 58 and the upper surface of the lifter arm 50 to pass the strand down into the guide slot 51 during'a threadingup operation, it may be preferable to raise the free end of the detector finger D-ll and then lower it down on the strand. However, it is not necessary to raise the finger in a threading-up operation because the sloping edge of the flange 56 acts as a cam to raise the free end of the detector finger D1 when the strand 8-1 is pulled forwardly through the guide slot 51. Thus, as the strand S1 is pulled forwardly through the slot 51, the detector finger D-I will be raised up and the strand 8-1 will automatically move over in alignment with the guide slot 51 and beneath the free end of the detector finger D-I, as shown in FIGURE 3.

. A contact element in the form of a metallic plate 62 is carried by and electrically insulated from the forward lower edge of the lifter arm 50. In the present instance, the contact plate 62 extends across the entire length of the lifter arm 50 and its upper edge is bent over. Thus, the plate 62 forms a common contact for all of the detector fingers D-l through D-8 and when any one of the fingers is not properly supported by a corresponding strand, the lower edges of the corresponding flanges 56, 57 will engage the upper bent over edge of the plate 62, as shown in FIGURE 5.

Opposite end portions of the contact plate 62 are preferably secured to the lifter arm 50 by screws 63 and washers 63a, both of which are formed of suitable electrical insulation material, such as nylon. As shown in FIGURES 3 and 4, one end of a wire 64 is electrically connected to the left-hand end of the plate 62 by the screw 63. The other end of the wire 64 is connected to an electrical circuit, to be presently described.

The flanges at the free end of the detector finger D-8 are shown in contact with the contact plate 62 in FIGURE 5 because the strand S-8 has been broken at a point in advance of the last lifter arm 50 (FIGURES 1 and 2) and the trailing end of the broken strand S8 has passed through the last lifter arm 50 so that the detector finger D-8 is no longer supported thereby. When any of the supply cans 53 is exhausted, the corresponding detector finger will drop down and engage the contact plate 62 as soon as the free end of the strand passes through the last lifter arm 50. The corresponding detector finger will also engage the contact plate 62 when the tension in one of the strands is not sufficient to support the detector finger out of engagement with the contact plate 62. It will be noted that the flange portions 56 and 57 extend downwardly far enough that they will contact the plate 62 when the strand is slack enough to engage the upper portion of the contact plate 62.

The detector fingers and the contact plate each form one element of a switch to effect stopping of the drawing frame through means of the electrical circuit schematically illustrated in FIGURE 6. The drawing frame drive motor 41 is connected to a suitable source of electrical energy, not shown, by main lead wires 66, 67 and 68 which have a manually operable main switch 70 interposed therein. A pair of wires 71, 72 extend from the main wires 66 and 67 and to the primary coil of a transformer unit 73. One end of a wire 75 is connected to one secondary coil 73a of the transformer 73 and its opposite end is connected to one side of the electromagnetic clutch 40. The other side of the electromagnetic clutch 40 has one end of a wire 76 connected thereto, the opposite end of which is connected to one side of a relay switch 77 which is operated by means of a relay 78. One end of a wire 79 is connected to the relay switch 77 and its other end is connected to the secondary coil 73a of the transformer 73.

The relay switch 77 is normally maintained in the dotted line position shown in FIGURE 6 so that an electrical circuit is completed to the electromagnetic clutch 40 through the wires 75, 76 and 79, and driving motion from the motor 41 is transmitted to the drafting rolls 15, 16 through means of the pulleys 34, 36, belt 35 and the gears in the gear housing 27. When the relay switch 77 is moved to open position, in a manner to be presently described, the electrical circuit to the electromagnetic clutch 40 is broken to immediately stop rotation of the drafting rolls 15, 16.

A wire 80 is connected between one side of the relay 78 and one side of a secondary coil 73b and the other side of the secondary coil 73b is grounded, as at 81. The wire 64 connects the other side of the relay 78 to the contact plate 62 and the frame of the creel is grounded, as schematically indicated at 82.

A holding circuit for the relay 78 is provided and includes a wire 83, one end of which is connected to the wire 64 and the other end is connected to one contact of 6 the normally open side of switch 77. A wire 84 is connected at one end to the other contact of the normally open side of switch 77 and its other end is connected to one side of a manual reset switch 85. The other side of the reset switch 85 is grounded, as at 86.

When any one of the detector fingers D-l to D-8 is not properly supported by a strand, such as when a break occurs in the strand, when the supply is exhausted, or when there is no tension on the strand, the free end of the corresponding detector finger will fall down and the side flanges 56, 57 will contact the contact plate 62 to complete an electrical circuit and actuate the relay 78. When the relay 78 is actuated, the switch 77 will be drawn up to the solid line position shown in FIGURE 6 to thereby break the electrical circuit to the electromagnetic clutch 40.

When the electrical circuit to the electromagnetic clutch 40 is broken, the driving connection between the electric motor 41 and the drive pulley 36 is disconnected to immediately stop rotation of the drafting rolls 15, 16 so that the strands are no longer pulled into the drawing frame. The holding circuit will maintain the circuit to the clutch 40 open until the strands are repaired and then the reset switch 85 is pushed to again complete the cir' cuit to the clutch 40.

The modified form of creel stop motion shown in FIG- URES 79 is associated with what is commonly called a power creel. In a power creel, strand lifting rolls are provided above each set of strand supply cans and the lifting rolls are driven in timed relationship to the drawing frame so that the strands are withdrawn from the supply cans by the power driven lifting rolls and carried forwardly into the drafting rolls. The power creel is usually provided with sets of lifting rolls which are spaced rearwardly of the drawing frame and they are driven from the drive of the drawing frame.

In the modified form of creel stop motion shown in FIGURES 7-9, the detector fingers are pivotally supported adjacent the last set of lifting rolls through which the strands pass before they reach the drawing frame. Only one lifting roll of this last set of lifting rolls is shown in FIGURE 7 and it is broadly indicated at 99.

An inverted U-shaped drive housing is connected in a suitable manner, not shown, at its forward end to the rear portion of the drawing frame and it extends rearwardly throughout the length of the creel. A main drive shaft 101 is connected at its forward end in a suitable manner, not shown, to the drive of the drawing frame and extends rearwardly and is supported within the housing 100. Helical drive gears 102 are fixed along the shaft 101 at each set of lifting rolls.

The medial portion of a lifter roll drive shaft 103 is supported for rotation in bearings 104 (only one of which is shown) that are supported on the drive housing 100. The roll drive shaft extends outwardly from 0pposite sides of the housing 100, only that portion extending out from one side being shown in FIGURE 7. A helical gear 105 is suitably fixed on the shaft 103 and matingly engages with the helical gear 102 to impart continuous rotation to the roll shaft 103 when driving rotation is imparted to the main drive shaft 101 from the drawing frame. Thus, any time that the drawing frame is in operation and the drafting rolls are drawing the strands into the drawing frame, the roll drive shaft 103 will be rotated in proper timed relationship thereto to lift the strands from the supply cans and feed the same forwardly to the drawing frame.

A pair of end collars 106 is suitably secured for longitudinal adjustment on the roll shaft 103, as by set screws 107 (FIGURE 7). A series of strand separator collars 108 and a series of lifter roll segments or segmental roll sections 109 are mounted on the shaft 103 and between the end collars 106. As best shown in FIGURE 9, each of the lifter roll segments 109 is hexagonal in cross-section to provide a better gripping surface to lift the strand and to reduce the friction of the strands moving forwardly thereover. A lock pin 110 extends through suitable openings in the roll segments 1119 and collars 106, 108 to prevent rotation relative to each other and to the shaft 103.

The spaced collars 106, 1% define strand guide slots through which strands are guided forwardly into the drawing frame in side-by-side spaced apart relationship. Usually, eight strands are guided into each roll section of the drawing frame from the last lifter roll 99. However, the lifter roll 99 may be of sufficient length to accomrmodate any desired number of strands. A detector finger is positioned in alinement with each of the strand guiding slots defined by the collars 106, 1118. Several of the detector fingers are shown in FIGURE 7 indicated at F-1, F2, F 7 and F-d.

The lower free ends of the detector fingers F-1, F-2, F-7 and F-8 normally ride on and are supported by the corresponding strands at a point immediately after they move off of the segmental roll sections 109. The detector fingers F-il, FZ, F-7 and F-8 each include downwardly extending side flanges 112 and 113 which straddle the corresponding strands. As shown in FIGURE 9, the flanges 112 and 113 engage the periphery of the segmental roll sections 109 when a corresponding detector finger (finger F-7 in this instance) is not properly supported by a strand, to knock off the drawing frame and creel in a manner to be presently described.

The upper medial portion of each of the detector fingers is cut longitudinally and the two outer portions are bent to form two upstanding semi-circular portions while the medial portion is bent to form a single down- Wardly extending semi-circular portion. The semi-circular portions form a pivot for each finger as they pass around opposite sides of a pivot pin 114. The pivot pin 11 1 is preferably in the fonm of a shoulder screw having an enlarged head on one end and a reduced threaded portion on the other end that is screwed into the upper end of a C-shaped support bracket 115. The lower end of the bracket 115 is suitably secured to the upper surface of a transverse support bar 116. Each finger F-l, F2, F-7 and F-8 is maintained in the proper position on its pivot pin 114 by a spacer 117.

A finger-engaging tab 118 is provided on the upper end of each detector finger and may be used to lift the free end during a threading-up operation. The transverse support bar 116 extends beneath the drive housing 100 (FIGURE 7) and is suitably connected thereto and electrically insulated therefrom by a bracket 120. The horizontal flange of the bracket 120 is connected to the support bar 116 by screws 121 and a plate 122 which are both preferably formed of electrical insulation material, such as nylon.

As best shown in FIGURE 7, each of the detector fingers is individually supported for pivotal movement on the respective C-shaped support bracket 115. The pivot pins 114 terminate in spaced relationship from the adjacent brackets 115 to provide spaces through which the strands may be passed from above during a threading-up operation. In threading up a new strand, a medial portion of the strand is moved down between the collars of lifter roll 99 and pulled forwardly so that the sloping edge of the flange 113 will be engaged by the forwardly moving strands to lift the detector finger. With further movement of the strand, it will be automatically positioned in alinement beneath the detector finger with the finger being supported and riding on the strand. If desired, the tab portion 118 may he moved downwardly to lift the free end of the detector finger so that the strand may be manually placed therebeneath.

One end of an electric wire 64a (FIGURE 7) is connected to the upper surface of transverse support bar 116 and the other end of this wire 64a is connected to an electrical circuit, similar to that shown in FIGURE 6. Thus, the other end of the wire 64a would be connected to one side of the relay coil 78. The lifter roll 99 is grounded through the drive housing 101) so that when the flanges 112, 113, of any one or more of the detector fingers engages one of the roll segments 109, as shown in FIGURE 9, the electrical circuit will be completed to the relay 78 and open the switch 77 to disengage the electromagnetic clutch 40 and immediately stop operation of the drawing frame and the power creel.

Thus, in both forms of stop motion detector fingers are pivotally mounted above the strands and the lower ends are normally supported by a strand. The detector fingers form one element of a switch mechanism and the other element of the switch mechanism is provided by a common contact member that is positioned beneath the strands. When the strands do not properly support the free end of any one of the detector fingers, the two elements of the switch mechanism touch to actuatean electric circuit and immediately stop the movement of the strands into the textile machine.

In each form of stop motion the downwardly extending sliver guide flanges of the detector fingers are positioned on opposite sides of the corresponding sliver. These guide flanges extend down from the medial portion a sufficient distance that their lower edges will engage the contact member beneath the slivers when an extremely slack condition exists in the sliver as it passes over the last lifter member of the creel. As shown in FIGURES 4, 5, and 8, 9, the respective guide flanges 56, 57 and 112, 113 extend downwardly from the medial portions a greater distance than the thickness of the slivers so that their lower edges will engage the contact member if the sliver passes over the last lifter member in such a slack condition that it hangs downwardly therefrom.

In the drawings and specification there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention and, although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only, and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

We claim:

1. In a drawing frame having sets of drafting rolls, drive means for imparting movement to said rolls, and an elongate creel extending rearwardly of the drafting rolls for directing thereto a plurality of textile slivers from a plurality of sliver supply cans positioned below the creel, said creel including a series of transversely disposed and spaced apart rotatable sliver lifter rolls, drive means for imparting rotation to said lifter rolls from said drafting roll drive means, each of said lifter rolls having a row of spaced collars defining spaced apart sliver guiding slots therebetween for guiding said slivers upwardly from the supply cans and forwardly in spaced apart, side-by-side relationship to the drafting rolls, the combination therewith of sliver actuated stop motion means comprising (a) a series of detector fingers corresponding to the number of slivers normally fed to the drafting rolls, each of said detector fingers having a free end normally adapted to ride on and be supported by the corresponding sliver,

(b) means carried by said creel for pivotally supporting said detector finger sabove a lifter roll proximally positioned relative to the drafting rolls and between said collars,

(c) each of said detector fingers having at least one sliver guiding side flange extending downwardly from the free end and toward said sliver guiding slots in said proximal lifter roll,

(d) contact means carried by said proximal lifter roll and between said collars, said contact means being supported in the pivotal path of movement of said detector fingers and being engageable by said sliver guiding side flanges when the detector fingers are not being supported by the slivers, and

(e) electrical circuit means being operatively associated with said detector fingers and said contact means and being operable in response to engagement of any amass one of said side flanges of said detector fingers with said contact means for stopping the drawing frame.

2. In a drawing frame having sets of drafting rolls, drive means for imparting movement to said rolls, and an elongate creel extending rearwardly of the drafting rolls for directing thereto a plurality of textile slivers from a plurality of sliver supply cans positioned below the creel, said creel including a series of transversely disposed and spaced apart rotatable sliver lifter rolls, drive means for imparting rotation to said lifter rolls from said drafting roll drive means, each of said lifter rolls having a row of spaced collars defining spaced apart sliver guiding slots therebetween for guiding said slivers upwardly from the supply cans and forwardly in spaced apart, side-by-side relationship to the drafting rolls, the combination therewith of sliver actuated stop motion means comprising (a) a series of detector fingers corresponding to the number of slivers normally fed to the drafting rolls, each of said detector fingers having a free end normally adapted to ride on and :be supported by the corresponding sliver.

(-b) means carried by said creel for pivotally supporting said detector fingers above a lifter roll proximally positioned relative to the drafting rolls and between said collars,

(c) each of said detector fingers having at least one sliver guiding side flange extending downwardly from the free end and toward said sliver guiding slots in said proximal lifter roll, said side flange also extending to about the pivot point of said finger, the portion of said side flange adjacent said pivot point having an edge tapered toward said pivot point, said tapered edge adapted to guidingly engage a sliver and thus aiding in initially threading the sliver beneath the detector finger,

((1) contact means carried by said proximal lifter roll and between said collars, said contact means being supported in the pivotal path of movement of said detector fingers and being engageable by said sliver guiding side flanges when the detector fingers are not being supported by the slivers, and

(e) electrical circuit means being operatively associated with said detector fingers and said contact means and being operable in response to engagement of any one of said side flanges of said detector fingers with said contact means for stopping the drawing frame.

3. In a drawing frame having sets of drafting rolls, drive means for imparting movement to said rolls, and an elongate creel extending rearwardly of the drafting rolls for directing thereto a plurality of textile slivers from a plurality of sliver supply cans positioned below the creel, said creel including a series of transversely disposed and spaced apart rotatable sliver lifter rolls, drive means for imparting rotation to said lifter rolls from said drafting roll drive means, each of said lifter rolls having a row of spaced collars defining spaced apart sliver guiding slots therebetween for guiding said slivers upwardly from the supply cans and forwardly in spaced apart, side-by-side relationship to the drafting rolls, the combination therewith of sliver actuated stop motion means comprising (a) a series of detector fingers corresponding to the number of slivers normally fed to the drafting rolls, each of said detector fingers having a free end normally adapted to ride on and be supported by the corresponding sliver,

(b) a support member positioned beneath a lifter roll proximally positioned relative to the drafting rolls and spaced below said collars,

(c) a series of spaced apart upstanding brackets supported at their lower ends on said support member and positioned in alinement with each of said collars, the upper ends of said upstanding brackets terminating above corresponding collars,

(d) means carried by the upper ends of each of said upstanding brackets for pivotally supporting said de- 1% tector fingers in spaced apart relationship from the adjacent upstanding brackets and providing access passageways therebetween, said access passageways communicating with the sliver guiding slots for permitting the threading of slivers downwardly between said detector fingers and the adjacent upstanding brackets, into the sliver guiding slots and beneath the detector fingers,

(e) contact means carried by said proximal lifter roll and between said collars, said contact means being supported in the pivotal path of movement of said detector fingers and being engageable by any one of said detector fingers when the detector fingers are not being supported by the slivers, and

(f) electrical circuit means being operatively associated with said detector fingers and said contact means and being operable in response to engagement of any one of said detector fingers with said contact means for stopping the drawing frame.

4. In a drawing frame having sets of drafting rolls, drive means for imparting movement to said rolls, and an elongate creel extending rearwardly of the drafting rolls for directing thereto a plurality of textile slivers from a plurality of sliver supply cans positioned below the creel, said creel including a series of transversely disposed and spaced apart rotatable sliver lifter rolls, drive means for imparting rotation to said lifter rolls from said drafting roll drive means, each of said lifter rolls having a row of spaced collars defining spaced apart sliver guiding slots therebetween for guiding said slivers upwardly from the supply cans and forwardly in spaced apart, side-by-side relationship to the drafting rolls, the combination therewith of sliver actuated stop motion means comprising (a) a series of detector fingers corresponding to the number of slivers normally fed to the drafting rolls, each of said detector fingers having a free end normally adapted to ride on and be supported by the corresponding sliver,

(b) a support member positioned beneath a lifter roll proximally positioned relative to the drafting rolls and spaced below said collars,

(c) a series of spaced apart C-shaped brackets supported at their lower ends on said support member and positioned in alinement with each of said collars, the upper ends of said C-shaped brackets terminating above corresponding collars,

(d) means carried by the upper ends of each of said C-shaped brackets for pivotally supporting said detector fingers in spaced apart relationship from the adjacent C-shaped brackets and providing access passageways therebetween, said access passageways communicating with the sliver guiding slots for permitting the threading of slivers downwardly between said detector fingers and the adjacent C-shaped bracket, into the sliver guiding slots and beneath the detector fingers,

(e) each of said detector fingers having at least one sliver guiding side flange extending downwardly from the free end and toward said sliver guiding slots of said proximal lifter roll, said side flange also extending to about the pivot point of said finger, the portion of said side flange adjacent said pivot point having an edge tapered toward said pivot point, said tapered edge adapted to guidingly engage the sliver and thus aiding in initially threading the sliver beneath the detector finger,

(f) contact means carried by said proximal lifter roll and between said collars, said contact means being supported in the pivotal path of movement of said detector fingers and being engageable by any one of said detector finger side flanges when the detector fingers are not being supported by the slivers, and

(g) electrical circuit means being operatively associated with said detector fingers and said contact means and being operable in response to engagement of any one of said side flanges of said detector fingers with said contact means for stopping the drawing frame.

5. In a textile strand processing machine having fiber drafting instrumentalities, drive means for imparting movement to said instrumentalities, and a creel including laterally spaced apart strand guiding passageways, the combination therewith of strand actuated stop motion means comprising (a) a series of detector fingers mounted for movement on said creel and extending above the respective strand guiding passageways therein,

(b) at least one of said detector fingers having a free end adapted to ride on and be supported by a mov ing strand under normal tension, and said one detector finger also having at least one strand guiding side flange extending downwardly therefrom toward the respective strand guiding passageway,

(c) contact means positioned in the path of movement of said one detector finger and below the same, the relative location of said contact means and said flange of the detector finger being such that the strand under normal tension maintains said flange out of engagement with said contact means, but upon the occurrence of substantially less than normal tension in the strand While being engaged by said one detector finger, and also during absence of the strand between said one detector finger and said contact means, said flange is operable to engage said contact means, and

(d) electrical circuit means operatively associated with said one detector finger and said contact means and being operable in response to engagement of said flange of the detector finger with said contact means for stopping the textile machine.

6. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said one detect-or finger is provided with an additional side flange laterally spaced from said first-named flange and also extending downwardly from the detector finger, said side flanges being adapted to straddle the strand for guiding the same in its path of travel.

7. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said one detector finger includes a finger engageable tab extending outwardly from the upper portion thereof for facilitating the movement of the detector finger to raised position.

8. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said one detector finger is mounted for pivotal movement on said creel and has a freely accessible finger engageable tab extending outwardly from the pivot point thereof for facilitating movement of the detector finger to raised position.

9. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said one detector finger is mounted for pivotal movement on said creel and wherein said strand guiding side flange thereof has a lower edge tapered toward the pivot point of the detector finger, said tapered edge being adapted to guidingly engage the strand and to aid in threading the strand beneath the detector finger.

10. In a textile strand processing machine having fiber drafting instrumentalities, drive means for imparting movement to said instrumentalities, and a creel including a row of laterally spaced apart flanges defining strand guiding passageways therebetween for guiding strands along a predetermined path of travel in spaced apart, sideby-side relationship to the drafting instrumentalities, the combination therewith of strand actuated stop motion means comprising (a) a series of laterally spaced apart detector fingers pivotally mounted on said creel and extending above the respective strand guiding passageways therein,

(b) each of said detector fingers having a free end adapted to ride on and be supported by a moving strand under normal tension, and each detector finger also having at least one strand guiding side flange extending downwardly therefrom toward the respective strand guiding passageway,

(c) contact means positioned in the pivotal path of movement of said detector fingers and below the same, the relative location of said contact means and said flanges of said detector fingers being such that the strands under normal tension maintain said flanges out of engagement with said contact means, but upon the occurrence of substantially less than normal tension in any one of the strands while being engaged by a detector finger, and also during absence of any one of said strands between a detector finger and said contact means, the respective flange is operable to engage said contact means, and

(d) electrical circuit means operatively associated with said detector fingers and said contact means and being operable in response to engagement of any one of said flanges of the detector fingers with said contact means for stopping the textile machine.

11. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein each of the strand guiding side flanges of said detector fingers has a lower edge tapered toward the pivot point of the detector finger, each tapered edge being adapted to guidingly engage a strand and to aid in threading the strand beneath the detector finger.

12. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said creel includes laterally spaced apart detector finger supports extending above the strand guiding passageways and pivotally supporting said detector fingers, and the spacing of said detector finger supports and the spacing of said detector fingers defining access passageways between adjacent supports and adjacent detector fingers for permitting the threading of strands downwardly between said supports and detector fingers into the strand guiding passageways and beneath the detector fingers.

13. In a textile strand processing machine having fiber drafting instrumentalities, drive means for imparting movement to said instrumentalities, and a creel including a row of laterally spaced apart flanges defining strand guiding passageways therebetween for guiding strands along a predetermined path of travel in spaced apart, side-by-side relationship to the drafting instrumentalities, the combination therewith of strand actuated stop motion means comprising (a) a series of laterally spaced apart detect-or fingers each having a free end which is substantially vertically movable and adapted to ride on and be supported by a strand,

(b) said creel including a series of spaced apart detector finger supports extending above the strand guiding passageways and supporting said detector fingers for movement on said supports, and the spacing of said detector finger supports and the spacing of said detector fingers defining access passageways between adjacent supports and adjacent detector fingers for permitting the threading of strands downwardly between said supports and detector fingers into the strand guiding passageways and beneath the detector fingers,

(c) contact means positioned in the path of movement of said detector fingers and being engageable by said detector fingers when the detector fingers are not being supported by the strands, and

(d) electrical circuit means operable in response to engagement of any one of said detector fingers with said contact means for stopping said textile machine.

14. In a drawing frame having sets of drafting rolls, drive means for imparting movement of said rolls, and an elongate creel extending rearwardly of the drafting rolls for directing thereto a plurality of textile slivers from a plurality of sliver supply cans positioned below the creel, said creel including a series of transversely disposed and longitudinally spaced apart sliver lifter arms each having laterally spaced upstanding ridges defining sliver guiding slots therebetween for guiding slivers upwardly from the supply cans and forwardly in spaced apart side-by-side relationship to the drafting rolls, the combination therewith of sliver actuated stop motion means comprising (a) a series of laterally spaced apart supports carried by and extending above the upstanding ridges of one of said lifter arms and wherein said one of said lifter arms is proximally positioned relative to the drafting rolls,

(b) laterally spaced apart detector fingers pivotally mounted on the respective supports,

(c) each of said detector fingers having a free end adapted to ride on and be supported by the corresponding sliver,

(d) the spacing of said supports and the spacing of said detector fingers defining access passageways between adjacent supports and adjacent detector fingers for, permitting the threading of sliver downwardly between said supports and detector fingers into the sliver guiding slots and beneath the detector fingers,

(e) contact means positioned in the pivotal path of movement of said detector fingers and below the same and engageable by said detector fingers when the detector fingers are not being supported by the slivers, and

(f) electrical circuit means operable in response to engagement of any one of said detector fingers with said contact means for stopping the drawing frame.

15. An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein each of said detector fingers has at least one sliver guiding side flange extending downwardly therefrom toward the respective sliver guiding slot, and wherein each sliver guiding side flange has a lower edge tapered toward the pivot point of the detector finger and is adapted to guidingly engage a sliver and aid in threading the sliver beneath the detector finger.

16. An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein each detector finger is provided with an additional side flange laterally spaced from said first-named flange and also extending downwardly from the detector finger, said side flanges of each detector finger being adapted to straddle a sliver for guiding the same in its path of travel.

17. An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said tapered edge of each sliver guiding side flange extends to about the pivot point of its detector finger, and wherein each detector finger has a finger engageable tab extending outwardly from its pivot point for facilitating pivotal movement of the detector finger to raised position.

18. In a textile sliver processing machine having fiber drafting instrumentalities, drive means for imparting movement to said instrumentalities, and an elongate creel extending rearwardly of said instrumentalities for directing thereto a plurality of textile slivers from sliver supply cans positioned below the creel, said creel including means defining a plurality of laterally spaced apart sliver guiding passageways for guiding slivers upwardly from the sliver cans and forwardly in spaced apart side- 'by-side relationship to the drafting instrumentalities, the

combination therewith of sliver actuated stop motion means comprising (a) a'series of laterally spaced apart detector fingers corresponding to the number of slivers being directed to the instrumentalities, each finger having a free end adapted to normally ride on and be supported by the sliver passing through the corresponding passageway,

(b) a support member positioned beneath said passageways,

(c) laterally spaced apart brackets supported on said support member and terminating above said passageways, there being one of said brackets positioned adjacent and to one side of each of said passageways,

(d) means carried by said brackets and located above the respective passageways for pivotally supporting said detector fingers in spaced relation from adjacent brackets and defining access passageways between adjacent brackets and adjacent detector fingers, said access passageways communicating with the respective sliver guiding passageways to permit the threading of slivers downwardly between said detector fingers and adjacent brackets into the sliver guiding passageways and beneath the detector fingers,

(e) contact means positioned in the pivotal path of movement of said detector fingers and below the same and being engageable by any one of said detector fingers whenever it is not supported by a sliver, and

(f) electrical circuit means responsive to engagement of any one of said detector fingers with said contact means for stopping said textile machine.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,117,721 11/1914 Straw 19157 1,848,667 3/1932 Scott 19-23 2,712,676 7/1955 McIntyre 28-51 X FOREIGN PATENTS 510,613 1/1955 Italy. 593,275 5/1955 Italy.

MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner. DORSEY NEWTON, Examiner. 

1. IN A DRAWING FRAME HAVING SETS OF DRAFTING ROLLS, DRIVE MEANS FOR IMPARTING MOVEMENT TO SAID ROLLS, AND AN ELONGATE CREEL EXTENDING REARWARDLY OF THE DRAFTING ROLLS FOR DIRECTING THERETO A PLURALITY OF TEXTILE SILVERS FROM A PLURALITY OF SLIVER SUPPLY CANS POSITIONED BELOW THE CREEL, SAID CREEL INCLUDING A SERIES OF TRANSVERSELY DISPOSED AND SPACED APART ROTATABLE SLIVER LIFTER ROLLS, DRIVE MEANS FOR IMPARTING ROTATION TO SAID LIFTER ROLLS FROM SAID DRAFTING ROLL DRIVE MEANS, EACH OF SAID LIFTER ROLLS HAVING A ROW OF SPACED COLLARS DEFINING SPACED APART SLIVER GUIDING SLOTS THEREBETWEEN FOR GUIDING SAID SLIVERS UPWARDLY FROM THE SUPPLY CANS AND FORWARDLY IN SPACED APART, SIDE-BY-SIDE RELATIONSHIP TO THE DRAFTING ROLLS, THE COMBINATION THEREWITH OF SLIVER ACTUATED STOP MOTION MEANS COMPRISING (A) A SERIES OF DETECTOR FINGERS CORRESPONDING TO THE NUMBER OF SLIVERS NORMALLY FED TO THE DRAFTING ROLLS, EACH OF SAID DETECTOR FINGERS HAVING A FREE END NORMALLY ADAPTED TO RIDE ON AND BE SUPPORTED BY THE CORRESPONDING SLIVER, (B) MEANS CARRIED BY SAID CREEL FOR PIVOTALLY SUPPORTING SAID DETECTOR FINGER SABOVE A LIFTER ROLL PROXIMALLY POSITIONED RELATIVE TO THE DRAFTING ROLLS AND BETWEEN SAID COLLARS, (C) EACH OF SAID DETECTOR FINGERS HAVING AT LEAST ONE SLIVER GUIDING SIDE FLANGE EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY FROM THE FREE END AND TOWARD SAID SLIVER GUIDING SLOTS IN SAID PROXIMAL LIFTER ROLL, (D) CONTACT MEANS CARRIED BY SAID PROXIMAL LIFTER ROLL AND BETWEEN SAID COLLARS, SAID CONTACT MEANS BEING SUPPORTED IN THE PIVOTAL PATH OF MOVEMENT OF SAID DETECTOR FINGERS AND BEING ENGAGEABLE BY SAID SLIVER GUIDING SIDE FLANGES WHEN THE DETECTOR FINGERS ARE NOT BEING SUPPORTED BY THE SLIVERS, AND (E) ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT MEANS BEING OPERATIVELY ASSOCIATED WITH SAID DETECTOR FINGERS AND SAID CONTACT MEANS AND BEING OPERABLE IN RESPONSE TO ENGAGEMENT OF ANY ONE OF SAID SIDE FLANGES OF SAID DETECTOR FINGERS WITH SAID CONTACT MEANS FOR STOPPING THE DRAWING FRAME. 